2026 Indian Wells Practice SDP: How it doesn't work

[dave g]

Since you are all familiar with Survivor Draw Pools, I am not going into a long exposition of the rules.
However, Indian Wells and Miami create some unusual problems in running an SDP. In particular, the qualifiers are usually not placed until I feel it is too late to request people to make picks. Not only that, but I usually don't know which halves of the draw are playing on Day 1 until Day 1. So, I am going to give everyone Day 1 off, and no picks will be required for Day 1. If I could guarantee that the required information to make picks was going to be available in time to make picks, I would have people make picks. But, I am not going to wait around just to find out if I will have the information early enough. So Day 1 (Wednesday) is a free day.

[ashkor87]

Good call, especially for me...I live on the other side of the globe...

[ptmcmahon]

Other side of the globe isn't a valid excuse for tennis contests Events all over the world!

But yes, it makes sense to make day 1 free with the issue of OOP coming out, qualifiers etc. Good call Dave!

[Oploskoffie]

Thx for the update, dave! And also for letting me make it past day 1, my best result of this year so far!